Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1887-04-21


you, taking your own head for things In tha
way. Other girls get rich husbands. l de
clare it's what mean to do myself. 1 won,
live ON in this mean, stingy poverty. Tn,
first rich man that comes along-you mari
it!-rll have him though he's four times c
widower and 100 years old, and takes snuff
And don't carel"
At that Shirley preached in earnest.
Don't do that, Brownie" i" she said. If you
do you'll be sorry for it all your life. A
woman can make no greater mistake than tc
marry man she's not in love with. If she
does, she's tolerably sure to find somebody
she is in love with afterwards. And it won't
be her husband. But tho true knight will
come too late. No, no, Brownie. Never lei
me hear that again."
"How do you know SO much about it, Shir-
ley! You never cared for any man. A man
wouldn't dare to make love to you.n
Shirley laughed again.
"My prophetic soul tells me-" she replied.
| That was one sermon Brownie got. Another
was preached to her.
| Mr. Wabbnobbs did not go westward with
his friend Tom Wabbnobbs fingered. The
air of Linwood agreed with him. By and by
it could not be denied that he began to hover
in an offish way around Brownie. The girl
half encouraged him, "for the fun of it.n The
| children, Harry and Alice, made merry i'm
, mensely over Brownies lover.
"He makes me think of Mother Goose.n said
Alice.
A little pig found fifty dollar note,
And purchased hat and very fine coat.
"lts the beauty of him that takes me-" said
Harry. "His false teeth waltz up and down
in his mouth every time he talks. When he
gets eloquent, l can't keep my eyes off those
teeth. They flip up and down with every
word, and fascinate NE, like the Ancient
Mariners glittering eye. Pm all of tremble
for fear they'll shoot out into Brownies lap"
"And he's got sleeve buttons made of Red
sea pebbles, that look like pigs eyes," added
Alice. "Yes, he's beauty"
Mis- Simpkins came in at that moment.
The children went on with their chatting.
Harry liked to talk learnedly.
Mis- Simpkins took on her business face.
"Tell you what, children, a rich husband
amt to be sneezed at, can tell you, if he has
got store teeth. What else did tho Almighty
give girl good looks for, I'd like to know, If
twan't to catch rich man!"
Hear, hcar!' said saucy Harry. "Aprettv
girl is wasting the gifts of Providence if she
doesn't use her good looks to catch rich hus-
band"
Mis- Simpkins scorned to notice the inter
ruption.
II knowed Bence Wabbnobbs in his fust
wifes time" she continued. "She was a
pretty woman, pretty as a pied pony, but
they didn't hit it together somehow. l don't
know why Sha was lovin' kind o person,
all for kissin' an that She liked bein' made
over and petted. He-he wasn't that SORT
you know"
"Nevcr do for Brownie" said Alice, mis-
chicvously Brownie never could get on
without the kissing, never"
Especially with the waltzing false teeth"
put in Harry.
"Yes," says Alice "How Brownies heart
would ache, to be sure; she'd pine away and
die"
That's what his fust wife did," continued
Mis- Simpkins. "She just up and died. He
drinked good deal in them days, though he's
quit that now. That made him more 'urri-
table, reckon. He's mild-mannered enough
now, but he's, got pizen in him yit."
"Providence made 'em for one another" ex-
claimed Alice, fervently. Brownies got
'pizen' in her, too"
"But he was always good pervider," con-
tinued Mis- Simpkins. "Give the devil his
docs"
"Do!" murmured wicked Harry.
Mis- Simpkins still showed her lofty superb
ority to these naughty interruptions.
1T amt well for females to be alone in the
world. know what it is to he lone wo-
1,,,4 ,l,nf
sometimes will say that"
Alice-Brownie's fragile flower, too ten
der too live alone aren't you Brownie?
"All I've got to say" said Mis- Simpkins,
raising her voice, lis that Bence Wabbnobbs
amt to be grinned at by them that's got no
teeth"
Hary-Mr. Wabbnobbs has got teeth,
anyhow.
"And," continued Mis- Simpkins, fixing him
with her glittering eye, "if Brownies got the
gumption give her credit for, she'll not turn
her back on the gifts of Providence when
they fly in her face. He amt handsome,
that's fact. But if a man wus good per-
wider, and had plenty, wouldn't keer if he
was humbly as the tongs-Id take him."
That was Mis- Simpkins sermon.
The children laughed beyond reason, and
teased Brownie incessantly about her good
pervider. But nobody dreamed of anything
serious In earnest, the Carstones would al
most as soon have thought of marrying their
sister to Rip the tramp.
Rip was now distinguished and rising
thief and burglar No influence could reach
him There was wildness in him that moth
ing could tame. He was picturesque look
ing desperado, too, with tawny hair and
flashing white teeth. His frame was well
knit; he was 1.-THE and graceful as a panther.
When he met Brownie in the village street,
he shot glance at her from his daring yet
furtive eyes that made her uncomfortable
She was beginning to be afraid of him, with
a nameless dread.
One day the young scamp entered the stone
house abruptly. Whether he entered house
by day or night this estimable former ac-
quaintance of ours did not knock at the door
first 1t was not his way.
Brownie was alone. He asked for some
thing to eat. She gave him some bread and
meat. ,,.
II don't want that" said he. "Gimme
piece of pie I want pie"
ave don't make pie at our house," replied
Brownie. "Go away"
He came close to her, so close that she felt
his hot breath upon her cheek, and covered
beneath his glowing eyes.
"Don't you be SO sassy, or the bad manll
come and carry you off, and hide you in the
woods. He wouldn't stop much to do it
now"
She was frightened, and showed it, He
saw it and laughed. Then he said:
% "Don't be skeered Where's your sister!
She'll give me some pie. know"